Peace, be still!

 

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

 

- Mark 4:35–41 

 

In yesterday's reading, we read that Jesus said (as He began to speak in parables to the crowds), "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed?  Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."  Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear.  With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  And He said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.  For the earth yields crops by itself:  first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.  But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."  Then He said, "To what shall we liken the kingdom of God?  Or with what parable shall we picture it?  It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on the earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade."  And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.  But without a parable He did not speak to them.  And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples."

 

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"  There are several things to observe in today's reading.  What we should start with is this notable command that Christ gives, to cross over to the other side.  This means the other side of the Sea of Galilee.  In some sense, it is like preparation for the apostolic missions to come.  My study Bible has several insights for us to consider.  Following with the idea that this is a preparation of sorts, it says that Christ deliberately permits this windstorm to arise while He is sleeping in order to perfect the disciples' faith, and to rebuke their weaknesses -- in this way they will eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  In today's reading, their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  They showed faith when they awoke Him, but unbelief when they said that "we are perishing."   There is also another powerful and important element to this story, and that is that Christ shows mastery over creation, another sign that He is the Messiah and is divine.  My study Bible says that commands to the wind and sea can only be issued by God (Job 38:8-11; Psalm 66:5-6, 107:29).  In this way, Christ reveals more to the disciples about the confidence they can take in Him.  My study Bible comments that He was asleep because as a man, he needed rest.  In His Incarnation, He assumed all natural actions of the flesh, one of which is sleep.  This image of Christ and His disciples in a boat is traditionally used to illustrate the Church.  Finally, my study Bible adds that God both permits storms and delivers us through them, so that we can see God's protection more clearly.  In Christ's rebuke of the storm we also see an illustration that He calms the tempests in the human soul.

What is faith?  Today's reading invites us to ask that question, as it becomes the focus of Christ's answer to the fearful disciples.  In the Greek, the root of the word for faith means "trust."  So it's important that we think of our faith not simply as an intellectually reasoned decision to believe something, but rather an active choice to put our trust in something -- or really, in someone.  Here is where Christ, the One who is both God and man, becomes important in the context of what faith is and means.  Today's reading truly displays evidence of what His Incarnation is and means.  He is at once fully human; that is, He sleeps.  And He is also divine; as my study Bible points out, only God can calm the wind and the sea.   Jesus does not simply "calm" these elements of the world, He commands them.  So now the disciples know (as do we) that to follow a command from Christ means putting their trust in one who is both human and also has expressed signs of the divine, and of course this understanding will grow.  Moreover, when they do embark on their first apostolic mission, and their apostolic journeys in the future, they will understand the One in whom they put their trust, and whose commands they follow -- as do we faithful today.  There is a deeper element, also, to comment on in today's reading.  In Genesis, at the creation of the world, we're told, "The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" (Genesis 1:2).  In the creation of the world, the Spirit of God hovers over the face of the waters, which are chaos.  They are "without form, and void, and there is darkness on the face of the deep."  This begins to tell us of the power of the Logos, the organizing principle, the One who brings order to the elements that are present.  And so it is with the Lord, the same Logos or Word (the meaning of the Greek word Logos) who commanded the elements of chaos into order and form (see also John 1:1-4).  He commands the chaotic sea and wind in an echo of the creation story, and this is clearly part of the understanding the disciples will eventually realize, as do we the faithful who followed.  We put our faith, our trust, in Christ, to help to organize our own tempests and chaos, our thoughts, our lives.  We pray in that faith for the same "order" to be put into our affairs, to help with the health of those for whom we are concerned, to reorder and reconcile our lives to what is good, to teach us how to live.   We ask for calm to our own "disorder" in any dimension.  Jesus commands, "Peace, be still!" and it is this same peace He gives to us.  In His peace is true order, real righteousness, a peace between ourselves and God, and by extension to the world.  It is this good order that we ask for, for which we place our trust in Him.  We ask for God's blessing so that order and good purpose be served through all things in our lives and our use of them.  Let us consider the power of Logos, in whom we place our trust, our faith, and whose true peace we seek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest

 

After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.   Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

 

- Luke 10:1-16 

 

 Yesterday we read that when the time had come for Him to be received up, Jesus steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face.  And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.  But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.  And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"  But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."  And they went to another village.  Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."  And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Then He said to another, "Follow Me."  But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."  Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God."  And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."  But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

 

 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."  My study bible comments that we are to pray not only for the harvest of converts to Christ, but also for the laborers who will reach them.  

"Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves."   Lambs form an image of the sacrificial life of the apostles, and of all followers of Christ.  The wolves, according to my study bible, are those who seek to frighten and devour those who follow the Lord (John 15:18).  

 

"Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you."   My study bible remarks on the fact that Jesus twice commands the apostles to eat whatever is offered to them.  It says that this has a twofold significance:  First, the apostles must be content with whatever is offered, even if the food is little and simple.  Second, the gracious reception of others' hospitality takes precedence over personal fasting or dietary disciplines.  It adds a note regarding St. Cassian the Desert Father, one of the earliest founders of monasticism.  When he visited a monastery, the fast was always relaxed to honor him as a guest.  He explained, paraphrasing the words of Jesus in 5:34, "Fasting is always with me, but you I cannot always have with me.  Fasting is useful and necessary, but it depends on our choice, while the law of God demands charity.  Thus receiving Christ in you, I serve you with all diligence, and when I have taken leave of you, I resume the rule of fasting again."  In this way the ascetics would obey Christ's command here and also His command not to "appear to men to be fasting" (Matthew 6:18; see also Romans 14:2-6, 1 Corinthians 10:27, Hebrews 13:2).  

"And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city."  My study bible points out for us that the gospel message isn't simply that there is a Kingdom at some time in the future, but rather that this kingdom of God has come near.  

"Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."   Jesus gives new "woes" naming cities which have failed to respond to the testimony of mighty works to the presence of the kingdom of God.  My study bible comments that judgment is severe for those who reject Christ after experiencing His grace.   In contrast, it says, those who have never known Christ due to genuine ignorance are without sin in that regard (John 15:22-24), and are instead judged by their God-given conscience (Romans 2:12-16).  

As Jesus "sets His face" toward Jerusalem and His Passion (see yesterday's reading, above), Jesus sends out the Seventy, on a new apostolic mission.  My study bible comments that although these Seventy are not so prominent as the Twelve, they carried out their missions with fervor and enthusiasm.  The Tradition of the Church confirms that they remained true to the Lord and to their calling, and fulfilled a vital role in the spread of the gospel.  My study bible notes that these seventy apostles are not random choices or accidental volunteers.  They are true disciples and apostles, whose labors carried the message of Christ throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.  Records of them remain in many accounts handed down through the centuries from various locations and shared among the Church.   One notable example is Barnabas, a Jew of the tribe of Levi.  He was born in Cyprus to wealthy parents, studied under Gamaliel with Saul of Tarsus (who would become St. Paul).  His original name was Joseph, but he would be called Barnabas (Son of Consolation) by the apostles (Acts 4:36), because he had a rare gift of comforting hearts.  My study bible notes that he sought out Paul when everyone else was afraid of him, and brought him to the apostles.  It was Barnabas whom the apostles first sent to Antioch with Paul.  Their association broke only when Paul did not trust Mark -- a cousin of Barnabas -- to go on a missionary journey with them at that time.  But they were later reconciled (Colossians 4:10).  According to many ancient accounts, Barnabas was the first to preach in Rome and Milan.  He was martyred in Cyprus and then buried by mark at the western gate of the city of Salamis.  Another one of the Seventy was Titus, whom Paul called his brother (2 Corinthians 12:18), and son (Titus 1:4).  He was born in Crete and educated in Greek philosophy, but reading the prophet Isaiah, he began to doubt the value of what he knew.  He joined others from Crete to go to Jerusalem to hear Christ; after hearing Jesus speak and seeing His works, Titus joined those who followed Christ.  He was baptized by Paul, and served him, traveling with Paul as apostle to the Gentiles, until Paul sent him to Crete and made him a bishop there.  It is said that Titus was in Rome when St. Paul was beheaded, and buried his body.  Returning to Crete, he converted and baptized many, governing the Church on the island until he died at the age of ninety-four.  There are many more stories of the Seventy, among whom are other names known to all Christians as they are mentioned by St. Paul, such as Aristarchus, Sosthenes, Tychicus, Simeon son of Cleopas (brother of Joseph, the betrothed of the Virgin Mary) who would succeed James as bishop in Jerusalem.  Aritobulus (Romans 16:10) was the brother of Barnabas; he preached the gospel in Britain and died peacefully there.  Each story (and there are many more preserved from ancient times, including full lists of the Seventy) teaches us something about the fruitfulness of Christ's ministry, this one mission covering so much ground and planting so many seeds across the ancient world.  In light of Luke's focus on the Gentile Church, it's important to see Christ's work in establishing this living Kingdom even as He knows it is time for Him to set His face toward Jerusalem and begin His journey to the Passion.  It tells us how well-provided the Church was for the future, and teaches us about the timing of all things in God's sight.  It is a reminder of Jesus' words about the grain of wheat that falls to the ground, and produces much grain (John 12:23-26).  Even as Christ heads toward Jerusalem, He commands the Seventy to go out on a mission, scattering seeds and producing much grain.  It is a lesson for us about God's work in the world, and our own understanding of mission.  Whatever we do in life, and do so prayerfully, we can be assured that God's hand in that living Kingdom in which we participate will seek as well to plant seeds and produce grain for Christ's truth in the world.  Let us bear ourselves in accordance with His instructions, as befits those who would bring the kingdom of God near to others in this world.

Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves

Detail, apse mosaic, 12th cent., Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome, Italy

 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.  You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak.  For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.  Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a  father his child; and the children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.  When they persecute you in this city, flee to another.  For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

- Matthew 10:16-23

Yesterday we read about Jesus sending out the twelve.  He commanded them, saying:  "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.  Freely you have received, freely give.  Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.  Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.  And when you go into a household, greet it.  If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it.  But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.  And whosoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"

 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."  My study bible says that Jesus instructs the disciples to be wise as serpents so that they might not be unnecessarily wounded, and also so that they can take all advantage of the spread of the gospel.  He also tells them that they must be as harmless as doves, so that they shouldn't retaliate against those who do them wrong, and remain blameless in their witness of the gospel.

"But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.  You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak.  For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.  Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a  father his child; and the children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.  When they persecute you in this city, flee to another."  This is a warning about the "wolves," and the conditions they will meet in the world, the hostility of those who cannot accept word of this Kingdom among them.  It is the first time in the Gospel (aside from the promise of John the Baptist, 3:11) that we have heard about the Holy Spirit and the Spirit's work in the world and among us.  The Spirit of your Father will speak in you, and what to speak will be given by the Spirit,  Christ promises, when they are delivered up and challenged.  Let us note the persecutions.  The alliance and affiliation with the Kingdom cuts so deep that not only are family relationships split up, they are murderous, betrayal of the most extreme kind:  brother will deliver up brother to death, a father his child; children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And they, His disciples, will be hated by all for My name's sake.   This is the depth of response of rage among those who reject the Kingdom.   And here is the watchword for those who would follow Christ:  he who endures to the end will be saved.

"When they persecute you in this city, flee to another.  For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."  Let us note Christ's commanded response to rejection:  when they persecute you in this city, flee to another.   He does not command retaliation and endless fighting, but rather a search for more fertile ground, a better harvest among others among the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" who will want what they offer.   My study bible says that persecution must not cause the disciple to quit, but simply to move forward in one's mission.  According to commentary of St. John Chrysostom, before the Son of Man comes is not a reference to the Second Coming.  It means that before the disciples could visit all the cities in Palestine, Christ would rejoin them -- thereby more quickly ending the hostility they would encounter.

Jesus sends out His apostles, knowing that they are like sheep in the midst of wolves.  What kind of ministry is this?  What kind of risks are they taking?  Moreover, long before the persecutions of the Roman Empire would start -- with which we associate the early Church of the following centuries -- He teaches them that they will be delivered up by their own closest relations in this world.  We also have to understand the notions of justice that prevailed at this time in the world.  While the Romans certainly had courts, laws, and proceedings, and while the Mosaic Law held sway among the Jews, for the most part -- generally speaking -- one had to rely on relations and clan for help in times of trouble.  Frequently justice depended upon it when one was wronged or wrongfully charged.  (Even today, with all the safeguards that centuries of concern built into modern justice systems, we know that worldly justice is not perfect.)  Therefore, the kind of betrayal and deathly hostility that Jesus outlines here is truly frightening, almost unthinkable.  And yet, the power of the Kingdom cuts so deeply into the core of who we are that this is the level at which split and division will happen.  Those who respond with anger and hostility will do so in ways that will shock and reveal what hasn't been seen before.  Although Jesus teaches them to offer their peace to all, a little further along in this chapter Jesus will teach that He didn't come to bring peace on earth; rather He's come not to bring peace, but a sword (10:34), and He will emphasize the family divisions that will ensue.  And yet, we're not to think of any of this in material military terms.  If we're "soldiers for the Lord," and if we are engaged in a particular kind of battle in this world (even one that is unseen), there are particular rules of engagement involved here.  They're to simply move on to another town when they are rejected anyplace.  They're not to fear if they're betrayed to councils and judges, institutions and courts, even governors and kings, where they can face terrible penalties.  Rather, they are to trust that the Spirit of their Father will give them something to say, a testimony, a truth to utter -- as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.  Now that is indeed interesting, because Christ is sending out the Twelve on their first mission only to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel."  And yet, their mission -- their testimony, even under persecution -- will have its impact among the Gentiles and the "great ones" of the world.  As sheep in the midst of wolves, we rely on the protection of God, the power of God, the holiness of God to guide our way.  These Twelve are asked to go out into a world in which Jesus testifies that "you will be hated by all for My name's sake."  But what's the real key here to discipleship?  Jesus teaches, "But he who endures to the end will be saved."   As disciples, we are soldiers engaged in a particular kind of battle, one that is to a great extent totally unseen, regardless of persecutions and hostility, injustice and cruelties, unreasonable hatred, rage, and envy.  In this battle, we struggle not for material gain or with conventional weapons, but in a test of endurance in His truth and in His word, wearing the badge only of His name.  We seek reliance upon His truth and His word, and the work of the Spirit within us and among us.  Today, we might not face the same persecutions of the past (although in some parts of the world, our sisters and brothers surely do.)  In our own lives, even the most comfortable of material lives, we may find our own challenges if we are truly His sheep.  We might be shocked to discover that we are among wolves when issues of choice and conscience rise up for us in our lives of discipleship.  As His disciples, we, like the Twelve, are faced with the choice to grow increasingly dependent upon God, rather than the institutions of the world.  This is the sword He brings to us, and the power of His name, His truth, His word.

You give them something to eat

 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.  So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.  But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities.  They arrived before them and came together to Him.  And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  So He began to teach them many things.  When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.  Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."  But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"  But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have?  Go and see."  And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."  Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.  And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.  So they all ate and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.  Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men. 

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.  And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 

- Mark 6:30-46

Yesterday we read that at this point in Jesus' ministry, King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known.  And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  Others said, "It is Elijah."  And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."  But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!"  For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.  Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."  Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him.  And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.  Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.  And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."  He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."  So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?"  And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"  Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."  And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.  Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought.  And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.  

 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."  For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.  So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.  My study bible says that Christ gives rest to the disciples to show those engaged in preaching and teaching that they must not labor continuously, but must also take rest.  We remember that the apostles have returned from their first apostolic journey, on which they were sent out two by two (see Saturday's reading).   The picture is clear:  by now Jesus' ministry has become so popular that He must get away to a deserted place in order to rest a while.

But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities.  They arrived before them and came together to Him.  And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  So He began to teach them many things.  The compelling presence of Christ is remarkable to read about.  The multitudes follow Him, and we're given the proper reason, despite all that we might think:  they were like sheep not having a shepherd.  This simple statement expresses our profound need for Christ.  Let us note how Christ responds both to their need and to His own compassion for them:  He began to teach them many things.  It reminds us of one of His beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount:  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled" (Matthew 5:6).  Moved with compassion is a phrase frequently used to to describe our Lord (see also Matthew 14:14, 20:34; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:13).  In the Greek, it indicates an interior state of profound affect.  My study bible says that it shows His power and authority are extended to those who suffer.

When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, "This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.  Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."   Once again, the Gospel gives us a full day in the ministry of Christ, suggesting strongly the witness testimony that makes up what we know of Jesus' ministry. 

But He answered and said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"  But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have?  Go and see."  And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."  One spiritual interpretation found in tradition teaches that the five loaves indicate the first five books of the Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which my study bible says are broken open in Christ and thus feed the universe.  The two fish represent the Gospel Book and the Epistle Book, the teaching of the fishermen.  In this understanding, the gathering of the fragments by the apostles (verse 43) shows that the teachings which the faithful are presently unable to grasp are still held in the consciousness of the Church. 

Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.  So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties.  And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.  So they all ate and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.  Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.   There is a clear prefiguration here of the Eucharist, especially in that Christ looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves.  Note also how they are distributed by the disciples.  My study bible comments that Christ shows us that we should never eat without first giving thanks to God.  Note that the word Eucharist comes directly from the Greek word for thanks.  The twelve baskets that are leftover is another image of the Eucharist which stands for all of Christ's gifts and grace, to be distributed by the apostles and their descendants in the Church.

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away.  And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.   Again, we're given the fullness of a day in Christ's ministry, as He sends the disciples once again across the Sea of Galilee.  In other readings, we've been taught that He rose very early in the morning to pray (Mark 1:35); here at the close of this remarkable day, after sending all away, Jesus departed to the mountain to pray.

It may seem like a kind of detail, but we should take a closer look at Jesus' statement, "You give them something to eat."  This clearly comes as a surprise to the apostles, who have no idea how they could possibly feed so many people in the wilderness with whatever they might have brought with them.  This was not a planned event, as the people had simply followed Jesus and the disciples in their desire and need for Christ.  No one had planned a meal for a crowd of people in the wilderness, and the people came spontaneously after Christ.  The Gospels tell us there were five thousand men, and this is a typical mode of counting for the period.  Tradition tells us there were yet more women and children present as well.  But, "You give them something to eat" is a command we also must pay close attention to.  It seems to suggest to the disciples and all of us who follow in the Church that it is we who must be prepared to help feed those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  What we notice, once again, is that these people need the teachings that Christ has to offer them, His guidance and instruction, because they are like sheep without a shepherd.  Well, just about everywhere we look around ourselves, we may see all kinds of people who are like sheep without a shepherd.  We live in a world in which it seems ever more prevalent that children are not given what is necessary for strong character in the face of adversity, for making good decisions in the face of temptation.   Traditional systems for instruction and discipline are breaking down, and cycles of poverty, violence, war, upheaval further break down the social structures that keep people and families intact, with a special impact on growing children.  Christ's command seems to me to suggest not simply caring for the material needs of others, but of being prepared as faithful to help those who have deeper needs than simply for food.  There is no doubt of the Eucharistic significance of this miracle of feeding in the wilderness.  What Jesus seems to suggest to all of us is that the deepest need for hospitality as a profound social calling is for the care of the love and grace of God, and that we as Christ's disciples are capable of sharing this with others and assuring them of this grace of the Incarnation -- that it is something we have and know and may distribute to those who might find themselves somewhere "out in the wilderness" with us.  I don't think the profound need we all have, as those who may also find we are like sheep without a shepherd, can be underestimated.  If we have bodily needs, then how much greater are those needs of the soul and spirit that go undernourished and underfed, uncared for so that people may have good guidance for their lives and a reassurance of the love of God?  It is when we neglect this need that life breaks down -- and most especially when there is hardship in life is the time we most need this spiritual food for which we have the deepest hunger.   Let us note that it is the Twelve who have just returned from their apostolic mission, and that the reason they went out to a deserted place was so they may discuss their experiences with Him.  Here in this wilderness spot, Jesus gives them an important lesson, that with God's grace, they will have at hand what they need to feed multitudes, and that this indeed is their purview, their true discipline as His followers.  Especially when we are in a church, or at any time when others may see us express our faith, let us remember Christ's command for hospitality, because it extends to so much more than meeting purely material needs for anonymous masses of people.  If this is the only thing we see, then we miss the Eucharistic significance and the grace that is at work here.  We are to share God's love with people, the grace we have been given, and this is His command for us -- for even in a seeming wilderness, God's grace will be enough, sufficient, and we will find it at hand through our faith for those who hunger and thirst for it, for those with whom we find ourselves up close and personal, and with us right now.

I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven

 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."  And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.  Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.  All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."  Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it." 

- Luke 10:17-24

Yesterday we read that the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.  Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.  Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.  Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.  But whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this house.'  And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.  And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages.  Do not go from house to house.  Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.  And heal the sick there, and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'  But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 'The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you.  Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.'  But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.  Woe to you, Chorazin!  Woe to you, Bethsaida!  For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades.  He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me."

Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."  And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."   The seventy apostles return with joy.  Jesus takes joy in the sharing of his holy power with human beings, those who are laborers for the harvest.  Once again, what we are told by the Gospel is about a type of hidden warfare going on; in Christ's mission into the world, He enlists human beings as participants in this battle, which is not like worldly battle but one of hearts and minds, and based in love.  My study bible says that the reference, I saw Satan fall, is a description of an event that took place before the creation of the world.  Five times Satan set his will against God (Isaiah 14:12-15; see also Revelation 12:7-12).  Serpents and scorpions are allegorical images of the demonic.

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes.  Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.  All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."  Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it."   Jesus continues to rejoice over the sharing of holy power with human beings, the revelation possible for us, and our participation in the life of the Kingdom He offers.   This is a sharing in the life given from the Father to the Son and in turn to those human beings who may share in and understand the revelation given to us.  It is all about the working of grace in the world.  My study bible says that babes are people of simple faith and open hearts (see 18:15-17).

How can we understand the joy of Jesus?  His newest apostolic mission, these Seventy whom He has recently appointed (see yesterday's reading, above), return with joy, as the holy power invested in them by Jesus has come to fruition they have experienced and seen for themselves.  Jesus tells them nevertheless, not to rejoice over such power, but that their names are written in heaven.  That is, because they share in the joy of heaven, as members of the Kingdom.   Jesus alludes to a battle which my study bible suggests has taken place before the creation of the world.  Nevertheless, its effects are seen and felt, and continue, with human beings at the center of the battleground.  And we are invited to participate in this battle.  I wonder if we today can calculate the reality which is revealed here and given to us in the words of Christ and in the actions and appointment of the Seventy.   We don't always generally see or measure these effects, from a modern perspective, in the terms that Christ names.  But we can look around at our world and most clearly see all types of evil effects.  The demonic that makes its presence known through Scripture functions to create varieties of affliction, hardship, pain, hostility, and aggression toward human beings.  Christ, by contrast, shares His power in grace, through faith, with the ultimate boundary respected as the free will of human beings.  He offers us participation and membership in a Kingdom, in which not only He but also God the Father become a part of our own reality, our identities in this shared participation, an ongoing energy present within us and among us.  We can look around at the world and see the things that typify demonic behavior in the Gospels:  abuse, affliction, aggression, hostility, hatred, coercion, manipulation, a total lack of respect for the basic integrity that free will gives to a human soul as endowed by Creator.  But it's not enough to wonder at the presence of evil.  What is important to understand through the Gospels is precisely what Jesus teaches His apostles to rejoice over:  that their names are written in heaven.  That is, that they may be participants in this Kingdom through faith, that they may serve God through faith in Christ -- that they may live through His love, grace, and truth.  This remains the pillar and cornerstone of our understanding of the battleground.  It's not about the things that we see with a limited perception of events in our world.  It is rather about finding that internal pole of faith, finding our own participation in this living grace and God's energies at work in the world, and remaining within the conditions of discipleship Christ has taught us.  This is a difficult task, but one nevertheless that remains with us 2,000 years after Jesus' ministry and teachings He's given us, which remain true and living for us.  Let us understand that He still sends us out as sheep in the midst of wolves, with instructions on how to live as those sheep who belong to Him.  His language and teachings are those of humility, of truth, of strength, and hope, and perseverance.  St. Paul instructs us in the fruits of the spirit, which remain hallmarks of our participation in that Kingdom and in His grace.  Can we live them for ourselves?  Let us remember this battle was won long ago, but that in real time, in our time, Christ invites us in to participate His way.  The choice lives within us, day by day.

Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me

Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.  And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"  Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:   The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me." 

- Matthew 11:1-6

On Saturday we read that while Jesus was speaking to John's disciples, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."  So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.  And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.  For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."  But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well."  And the woman was made well from that hour.  When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.  And the report of this went out into all that land.

Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.  And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"  The lectionary skips over several verses in chapter 9, and also chapter 10, in which the disciples are sent out on their first apostolic mission and Jesus preaches extensively about the nature of His mission on earth (see these texts here).  We note first of all about today's reading that John the Baptist is in prison.  According to patristic teaching, John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask this question so that he may guide his disciples to Jesus.  Undoubtedly, John' own faith was strengthened through Christ's response.  As we note also, in chapter 10, Jesus has just sent out His apostles on their first mission, also extensively teaching them what the mission of the Church will be like.  It is a time of transition, a new covenant, as exemplified in Christ's response to John's disciples in Saturday's reading, above.

Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:   The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."  These signs were predicted to accompany the coming of the Messiah by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 61:1).  Jesus performed these miracles, my study bible says, in the presence of John's disciples (Luke 7:20-21), so that they could see with their own eyes works that only the Messiah could do.

Coupled with our previous reading (above, in which Jesus preaches to John's disciples about the need for new wineskins to hold new wine), we get a taste of what is happening, a shift in history, an intervention in time that is a bold revelation of God's work in the world.  Christ comes into time as the divine/human "Theanthropos" (to use the theological term for our Messiah who is both God and human).  The Logos becomes Incarnate in order to intervene in a world under the power of the evil one.  Patristic teachings conclude that whether or not our world had been a "fallen" one, the Incarnation of Christ would have taken place.  Our Lord and Creator condescends to us from love, and in so doing brings Himself in order to heal and bring us closer to Him.  John the Baptist is considered the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets, and Jesus' word to his disciples conveys the idea that the time of the Messiah has come, the fulfillment of prophecy is at hand.  We live in the time Christ announces has come, and so we still keep in mind what it is that we serve and the faith in which we seek to live.  It is a time of healing and correction:  "The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."   It is essential that we keep in mind this mission, because it is ongoing.  The ministry of Christ is here to heal.  But what that means is that we take note, in our world, of what needs healing.  We should keep in mind that Christ did not come simply to "fix" everything, but to invite us into this struggle of a change of leadership, so to speak.  He is Liberator, but we still live in a world awaiting a judgment, in which its prince is still effective in seeking to hold captive, to blind, to make lame and ill and deaf, and most particularly to inhibit life.  From the earliest apostolic teachings, we are given a contrasting way of life and a way of death (see for example, the Didache, the oldest known teaching document in the Church).  In Judaism also, there existed this tradition.  But what we as moderns tend to lose sight of is that all of this spiritual battle cannot simply be fixed by what we think of as progressive advances.  Christ as the Person who is Truth, as Logos, certainly gives us the impetus for a search for truth, for an improvement in all forms of healing the ailments of the world.  But separately from our spiritual source of light, how do we use and implement whatever material tools we have in the world?  Abstraction alone cannot give us spiritual wisdom and insight.  Most of all, our own limitations still apply.  We need to seek what it is we don't know, and the help available to us.  We remain with our blindness and limitations, and we remain distinctly human as the examples in the Gospels constantly remind us of all we need to learn and how we need to grow, especially in wisdom, just as the disciples do.  Let us consider that our Liberator seeks our participation in His spiritual battle, with the weapons of prayer, love, and virtue -- and the power of faith -- as those we need for His mission for us.  The theologian Fr. John Anthony McGuckin writes, "When Truth is a living person, we can  no longer try to make it synonymous with mere accuracy."  In other words, through our faith, we are given a fullness of truth in which we seek to participate and which will always pull us forward into what we do not yet know, in which truth also embodies the good and the beautiful.  Rational abstraction cannot give us such a mission, but only Christ the Logos who has become one of us can do so; and through our faith this mission continues now.

A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house

 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

- Mark 6:1-13

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, back to His ministry's "home territory" of Capernaum), a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.  And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name.  And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death.  Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."  So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.  Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"  But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."  While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead.  Why trouble the Teacher any further?"  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  And he permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep?  The child is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.  Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age.  And they were overcome with great amazement.  But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said to that something should be given her to eat.

Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.  My study bible notes that the double response exhibited here, of being both astonished and offended, occurs frequently with those who encounter Christ (Luke 11:14-16; John 9:16).  Jesus' rejection in his own country foreshadows the rejection by the whole nation at His trial before Pilate (John 19:14-15).  So essential to Jesus' story is this rejection that His saying, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country," is found in all four Gospels (see also Matthew 13:57, Luke 4:24, John 4:44).  We note that Jesus Himself marvels in return because of their unbelief.   He can only help a few in Nazareth, because of their unbelief.  My study bible says that while grace is always offered to all, only those who receive it in faith obtain its benefits.  Jesus' response is to continue His mission, going about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.  The first thing we notice about this first apostolic journey is the humility with which He sends them out.  As He's invested them with His power, this is an example of the paradoxical nature of our faith.  They are to take nothing with them that gives them prestige, if you will.  They are not to "trade up" for better lodgings, but to honor those who receive them first.  They are merely to shake off the dust under their feet as their testimony against those who will not, although Christ expressly speaks of how such will fare in the day of judgment.  We note that they are sent out two by two.  My study bible notes that anointing the sick with oil has not only medicinal value but also sacramental value.  As God's healing power is bestowed through creation (5:27; Numbers 21:8-9; 2 Kings 13:21; John 9:6-7; Acts 5:15, 19:11-12), so oil is a vehicle of God's mercy and healing in the Church (James 5:14).

We note that people are both astonished and offended by Jesus, as my study bible points out.  In His hometown, they're both surprised by what He knows and the great gifts He has -- and at the same time they're offended because He's different from the person they thought they knew.  He's more gifted, more powerful, extraordinary.  They fail to put their faith in Him, with a few exceptions.  Jesus' path is anything but simple and easy.  Contrary to what I would characterize as a belief found in many "self-help" doctrines, just because Jesus is doing the right thing, and following His passion, so to speak, doesn't mean the world will simply line up in welcome for Him.  In fact, it is quite the opposite.  Jesus has a mission, and everybody is not going to love Him for it.  He exemplifies every good quality we can name.  He is compassionate, He is loving, He helps people, He is courageous, He endures difficulties, He tells the truth, He shares His power with others.  But somehow, all of this does not make Him a hit with everyone.  People gather in multitudes to see His healings, even to hear Him preach.  But ultimately, faith is lacking not only in His hometown of Nazareth, but elsewhere where He's done great things.  Jesus will say, "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had happened in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes" (Luke 10:13).   In Matthew's Gospel these words are prefaced by telling us that these were the towns in which most of His miracles had been performed (Matthew 11:20).   He is a sinless man, and yet faith is lacking.  People will not put their trust in Him.  The Gospels give us the truth, that we live in a world where life isn't perfect, and where God's justice may indicate something quite different from what we see and how we experience life.  Jesus says of those towns where the apostles' word is rejected, that "it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"   The apostles are simply to shake the dust from under their feet as a testimony, and move on.  Life is much more complex than simply a question of doing what's right and all will fall into "perfect" place, and the Gospels give us that true picture.   The insight and compassion we receive is all about our own faith, our own choices, the goodness in which we choose to trust and to carry with us, regardless of the response of the world.  We're not being sold a popularity formula, a recipe for material success or fame or adoration.  We're told the truth, and we're given the challenge to meet Him where He comes to meet us.  We learn from the Master, as do the disciples:  we do what we know is right, and keep moving on and forward.  St. Mark the Ascetic teaches, "Do the good you know, and what you do not know will be revealed to you."  This is our formula for a truly "successful" life, for entering into a life of love in faith, and continual growth in learning -- which is what it means, after all, to be a disciple.  Jesus will pray to the Father for His disciples at the Last Supper, saying that "the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.   They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth."  What is familiar and known may reject what is different, what does not work as the "world" works, especially when we choose His way instead and He takes us out of the world we know.  Let us follow His word, and be sanctified in His truth.

He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief

 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

- Mark 6:1-13

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had crossed over the Sea of Galilee again to Capernaum, a great multitude gathered to Him; and he was by the sea.  And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name.  And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death.  Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."  So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.  Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched his garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"  But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."  While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead.  Why trouble the Teacher any further?"  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep?  The child is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when he had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.  Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age.  And they were overcome with great amazement.  But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.   But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.   Jesus' own country is Nazareth in Galilee, the place where He was raised from childhood.   These are people in the synagogue who know His extended family.  (Brothers and sisters are terms frequently used for extended family and relatives such as cousins, nephews, and step-siblings both in Scripture and by custom in the Middle East.)   Their familiarity with Him and His "place" among them makes for a difficult adjustment to the reality of His ministry, and so they are offended at Him.  My study bible points out that the double response of being both astonished and offended happens frequently with those who encounter Christ (Luke 11:14-16; John 9:16).   Jesus' rejection in his own country foreshadows the rejection by the whole Jewish nation at the trial before Pilate (John 19:14-15).  This saying by Jesus, that a prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house appears in all four Gospels (see also Matthew 13:57, Luke 4:24, John 4:44).  Even Jesus marveled because of their unbelief.  The other occasion upon which we're told Jesus marveled is at the faith of the centurion (Matthew 8:10, Luke 7:9).

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.   Mark tells us that the twelve were sent out on this first apostolic journey two by two.  In Matthew's Gospel, the apostles' names are given in pairs, suggesting who may have traveled with whom (Matthew 10:1-4).  We note the careful humility with which they are to accomplish their mission, which Jesus spells out quite explicitly and deliberately.  To stay in one house until they depart means not to "trade up" for better lodgings as they are accepted in a place.  Any rejection is simply to be met by shaking off the dust under their feet as they depart from there, as a testimony against them.  To anoint the sick with oil has not merely medicinal value but also sacramental value, my study bible notes.   It says, "As God's healing power is bestowed through creation (5:27; Numbers 21:8-9; 2 Kings 13:21; John 9:6-7; Acts 5:15, 19:11-12), so oil is a vehicle of God's mercy and healing in the Church (James 5:14)."

It's interesting to note that Jesus marvels twice in the Gospels.  One incident is with the rejection of His townspeople in Nazareth.  The other is at the faith displayed by the foreigner, the centurion, when Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" (Matthew 8:10).  This word for marvel in the Greek has as its root the same word that's used in common modern language for "miracle."   (That He can do no mighty work due to the lack of faith in Nazareth is the Scriptural language for miracle.)  Marvel means in the context of the Scripture to cause amazement and wonder and astonishment.  That people marvel and wonder and are amazed is one thing.  But when Jesus Himself marvels we really have to be struck by this story.  How can the "knower of hearts" marvel?  What is it He is wondering at, this Creator who has assumed a fully human life and still remains divine?  He knows full well in advance that Judas plans to betray Him, He seems to know all that will happen, and a number of times we're told that He knows what is in men's hearts.  And so, why and how does He marvel at these times -- at the lack of faith of His townspeople in Nazareth, and at the great faith expressed by the centurion?   I'm certain that great theologians have pondered this question and perhaps have an answer that I am not aware of.  But to me this "amazing" phenomenon suggests that God knows each and every thing about us -- but that the great depth and mystery of faith is truly left  to something deep within us that answers with acceptance or rejection.  It almost seems as if the text is telling us that Jesus' incarnation as Messiah, this great cosmic mission that is at the center of all history, opens up revelations to amaze even the Creator Himself.  How human beings respond to the "God-man," Christ, becomes a revelation to all of Creation, and even to the Lord.  Oh, I am certain that in the fullness of the reality of the Trinity, all things are known; but nevertheless, human free will does indeed remain an intriguing mystery.  It is the boundary that God will not cross, for God does not compel us to love God.  Jesus' messianic mission as the Son who is both fully human and fully divine sets off sparks and ripples that continue to amaze, to create wonder, and, I personally imagine, to dazzle a universe via the human responses it creates and builds.  (Today's reading, after all, gives us the first apostolic mission, in which Christ's power is shared with those human beings whose faith is such that they grow from disciples to apostles.)  Jesus Himself said He didn't come to bring peace but a sword, and in this division between the faith of the centurion and the lack of faith of His townspeople, we can see what He's talking about.  So much depends upon just our response.  Can we overcome the "worldly" influence of familiarity or set ways of thinking or values we need to discard?  The centurion has himself been able to do so in having faith in Christ and Christ's power.  Jesus' fellow townspeople have not, and so His power does not work among them -- there is no human faith to connect with His power to heal.  Let us marvel as well at this tremendous mystery of both our creation and Creator -- the One who has given us so much contained within us, and who depends upon us to return His love.   God knows our hearts.  The question of faith asks us if we can "know" God.

He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick

 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty.  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

- Luke 9:1-17

Yesterday, we read that when Jesus returned from the country of the Gadarenes across the Sea of Galilee,  the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.  And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue.  And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.   Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.  And immediately her flow of blood stopped.  And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?"  When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."  Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well.  Go in peace."  While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead.  Do not trouble the Teacher."  But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."  When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.  But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."  Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.  And He commanded that she be given something to eat.  And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  The disciples ("learners") become apostles, those sent out on a mission.  Jesus gives them power:  giving what is His to those who are His disciples, so that they in turn go out into the world to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  What we note about this first mission is Jesus' careful instructions that emphasize humility.  They are not to be at all ostentatious, taking nothing with them but bare necessities of clothing.  Staying in the same house that welcomes them first means they will not "trade up" if offered better lodging.  And here is another side of that power:  when they leave a place that will not receive them, they are simply to shake the very dust from their feet as a testimony against them.  We note the importance of testimony.  The one judgment that counts is not worldly nor temporal.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.  Herod the tetrarch is Herod Antipas.  He is the one to whom Pilate will send Jesus during His trial (23:7).   He is the son of Herod the Great, who slew the innocents in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).   For the beheading of St. John, see Mark 6:14-28.  What we notice here is something that will recur in the Gospels:  Herod's fascination with the holy power of both Christ and John the Baptist.

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty.  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.  Here the feeding of the five thousand begins a recurring note in the Gospels, that Jesus and the disciples are meant to go into a deserted place, so that they may rest and discuss their first apostolic mission.  But the people come following Jesus.  He first does what He sent out the twelve to do:  He preaches the kingdom of God, and heals those who need healing.  We note the common themes of this story as it appears in the Gospels; Jesus instructs the disciples to give them something to eat.  When very little is found on hand, Jesus proceeds with that, blessing and giving the food to the disciples to distribute to the crowd.  The five thousand men is a common way of counting; there were more women and children in addition to the them.  It is a mirror to us of the Eucharist; symbolic in the fish and the loaves is the inexhaustible food of Christ, all the forms of God's grace and the depth of communion He will share with us. The twelve baskets of leftover fragments will be the inexhaustible bread taken up by the apostles for all the world, and those who will follow in the Church.

There is a kind of movement in today's reading, as it sweeps across the progress of Christ's ministry.  First the disciples are sent out:  twelve disciples symbolizing perhaps the people of God, the twelve tribes of Israel.  They go out on their first apostolic mission, calling out those who will come in faith -- preaching the kingdom of God and healing.  Those who respond to them are those who receive this word.  Their "people" are those who will first receive them.  This is a mission based on the connection of faith, of those "who have ears to hear," in the words of Isaiah so often quoted by Jesus.  Jesus is distributing His power to the apostles and through them to the world.  And the world does hear about Him, in the person of Herod the tetrarch, a man we could say is fascinated by the holy in perhaps a peculiarly childish way.  As king, what he might understand of such power is a kind of material phenomenon, something like a possession one might marvel at, although it's not completely clear what it is he seeks from both John the Baptist and then Jesus.  In him we could possibly say we see the world of material power separated from faith, and this world has taken notice now of Jesus.  Finally the disciples return, and what occurs afterward is a prefiguring of the Eucharist, the depth of participation in the Body of Christ, and that which will remain so long as the Church remains in the world and for all those to come.  It will spread to all the world, a movement that has not stopped but continues.  What we see in today's reading is the growth of this word of the Kingdom, as well as a deepening sense of what it is to be truly a part of that Kingdom and to share in His grace and blessings, a depth not reached until we know His sacrifice and understand the Eucharist in the ways He will teach.  We can reflect again on the parable of the Sower, which Christ has so recently given in the Gospel; the seeds are sown, the world is given what Christ brings in His mission.  But it is the growth, the struggle, the patience required, and the fruit of an eventual harvest He emphasizes.  We remain in the midst of that process of nurturing, growth, temptation, the essential need for care of the heart, and patience.  Let us be grateful for our part in all of it.